Context. The Sun shows abundance anomalies relative to most solar twins. If the abundance peculiarities are due to the formation of inner rocky planets, that would mean that only a small fraction of ...solar type stars may host terrestrial planets. Aims. In this work we study HIP 56948, the best solar twin known to date, to determine with an unparalleled precision how similar it is to the Sun in its physical properties, chemical composition and planet architecture. We explore whether the abundances anomalies may be due to pollution from stellar ejecta or to terrestrial planet formation. Methods. We perform a differential abundance analysis (both in LTE and NLTE) using high resolution (R ~ 100 000) high S/N (600–650) Keck HIRES spectra of the Sun (as reflected from the asteroid Ceres) and HIP 56948. We use precise radial velocity data from the McDonald and Keck observatories to search for planets around this star. Results. We achieve a precision of σ ≲ 0.003 dex for several elements. Including errors in stellar parameters the total uncertainty is as low as σ ≃ 0.005 dex (1%), which is unprecedented in elemental abundance studies. The similarities between HIP 56948 and the Sun are astonishing. HIP 56948 is only 17 ± 7 K hotter than the Sun, and log g, Fe/H and microturbulence velocity are only + 0.02 ± 0.02 dex, +0.02 ± 0.01 dex and +0.01 ± 0.01 km s-1 higher than solar, respectively. Our precise stellar parameters and a differential isochrone analysis shows that HIP 56948 has a mass of 1.02 ± 0.02 M⊙ and that it is ~1 Gyr younger than the Sun, as constrained by isochrones, chromospheric activity, Li and rotation. Both stars show a chemical abundance pattern that differs from most solar twins, but the refractory elements (those with condensation temperature Tcond ≳ 1000 K) are slightly (~0.01 dex) more depleted in the Sun than in HIP 56948. The trend with Tcond in differential abundances (twins − HIP 56948) can be reproduced very well by adding ~3 M⊕ of a mix of Earth and meteoritic material, to the convection zone of HIP 56948. The element-to-element scatter of the Earth/meteoritic mix for the case of hypothetical rocky planets around HIP 56948 is only 0.0047 dex. From our radial velocity monitoring we find no indications of giant planets interior to or within the habitable zone of HIP 56948. Conclusions. We conclude that HIP 56948 is an excellent candidate to host a planetary system like our own, including the possible presence of inner terrestrial planets. Its striking similarity to the Sun and its mature age makes HIP 56948 a prime target in the quest for other Earths and SETI endeavors.
ABSTRACT
We conducted a high-precision elemental abundance analysis of the twin-star comoving pair HIP 34407/HIP 34426. With mean error of 0.013 dex in the differential abundances (ΔX/H), a ...significant difference was found: HIP 34407 is more metal rich than HIP 34426. The elemental abundance differences correlate strongly with condensation temperature, with the lowest for the volatile elements like carbon around 0.05 ± 0.02 dex, and the highest up to about 0.22 ± 0.01 dex for the most refractory elements like aluminium. Dissimilar chemical composition for stars in twin-star comoving pairs is not uncommon, thus we compile previously published results like ours and look for correlations between abundance differences and stellar parameters, finding no significant trends with average effective temperature, surface gravity, iron abundance, or their differences. Instead, we found a weak correlation between the absolute value of abundance difference and the projected distance between the stars in each pair that appears to be more important for elements that have a low absolute abundance. If confirmed, this correlation could be an important observational constraint for binary star system formation scenarios.
ABSTRACT
We analysed 68 candidate planetary systems first identified during Campaigns 5 and 6 (C5 and C6) of the NASA K2 mission. We set out to validate these systems by using a suite of follow-up ...observations, including adaptive optics, speckle imaging, and reconnaissance spectroscopy. The overlap between C5 with C16 and C18, and C6 with C17, yields light curves with long baselines that allow us to measure the transit ephemeris very precisely, revisit single transit candidates identified in earlier campaigns, and search for additional transiting planets with longer periods not detectable in previous works. Using vespa, we compute false positive probabilities of less than 1 per cent for 37 candidates orbiting 29 unique host stars and hence statistically validate them as planets. These planets have a typical size of 2.2 R⊕ and orbital periods between 1.99 and 52.71 d. We highlight interesting systems including a sub-Neptune with the longest period detected by K2, sub-Saturns around F stars, several multiplanetary systems in a variety of architectures. These results show that a wealth of planetary systems still remains in the K2 data, some of which can be validated using minimal follow-up observations and taking advantage of analyses presented in previous catalogues.
Aims. We investigate the nature of the long-period radial velocity variations in α Tau first reported over 20 yr ago. Methods. We analyzed precise stellar radial velocity measurements for α Tau ...spanning over 30 yr. An examination of the Hα and Ca II λ8662 spectral lines, and Hipparcos photometry was also done to help discern the nature of the long-period radial velocity variations. Results. Our radial velocity data show that the long-period, low amplitude radial velocity variations are long-lived and coherent. Furthermore, Hα equivalent width measurements and Hipparcos photometry show no significant variations with this period. Another investigation of this star established that there was no variability in the spectral line shapes with the radial velocity period. An orbital solution results in a period of P = 628.96 ± 0.90 d, eccentricity, e = 0.10 ± 0.05, and a radial velocity amplitude, K = 142.1 ± 7.2 m s-1. Evolutionary tracks yield a stellar mass of 1.13 ± 0.11 M⊙, which corresponds to a minimum companion mass of 6.47 ± 0.53 MJup with an orbital semi-major axis of a = 1.46 ± 0.27 AU. After removing the orbital motion of the companion, an additional period of ≈520 d is found in the radial velocity data, but only in some time spans. A similar period is found in the variations in the equivalent width of Hα and Ca II. Variations at one-third of this period are also found in the spectral line bisector measurements. The ~520 d period is interpreted as the rotation modulation by stellar surface structure. Its presence, however, may not be long-lived, and it only appears in epochs of the radial velocity data separated by ~10 yr. This might be due to an activity cycle. Conclusions. The data presented here provide further evidence of a planetary companion to α Tau, as well as activity-related radial velocity variations.
There is a consensus that type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) arise from the thermonuclear explosion of white dwarf stars that accrete matter from a binary companion. However, direct observation of SN Ia ...progenitors is lacking, and the precise nature of the binary companion remains uncertain. A temporal series of high-resolution optical spectra of the SN Ia PTF 11kx reveals a complex circumstellar environment that provides an unprecedentedly detailed view of the progenitor system. Multiple shells of circumstellar material are detected, and the SN ejecta are seen to interact with circumstellar material starting 59 days after the explosion. These features are best described by a symbiotic nova progenitor, similar to RS Ophiuchi.
AbstractWe present the analysis of KIC 8164262, a heartbeat star with a high-amplitude (∼1 mmag), tidally resonant pulsation (a mode in resonance with the orbit) at 229 times the orbital frequency ...and a plethora of tidally induced g-mode pulsations (modes excited by the orbit). The analysis combines Kepler light curves with follow-up spectroscopic data from the Keck telescope, KPNO (Kitt Peak National Observatory) 4-m Mayall telescope and the 2.7-m telescope at the McDonald observatory. We apply the binary modelling software, phoebe, to the Kepler light curve and radial velocity data to determine a detailed binary star model that includes the prominent pulsation and Doppler boosting, alongside the usual attributes of a binary star model (including tidal distortion and reflection). The results show that the system contains a slightly evolved F star with an M secondary companion in a highly eccentric orbit (e = 0.886). We use the results of the binary star model in a companion paper (Fuller) where we show that the prominent pulsation can be explained by a tidally excited oscillation mode held near resonance by a resonance locking mechanism.
Using Campaign 15 data from theK2mission, we have discovered a triply eclipsing triple star system: EPIC 249432662. The inner eclipsing binary system has a period of 8.23 d, withshallow∼3 per cent ...eclipses. During the entire 80-d campaign, there is also a single eclipse event of a third body in the system that reaches a depth of nearly 50 per cent and has a total duration of 1.7 d, longer than for any previously known third-body eclipse involving unevolved stars. The binary eclipses exhibit clear eclipse timing variations. A combination of photodynamical modeling of the light curve, as well as seven follow-up radial velocity measurements, has led to a prediction of the subsequent eclipses of the third star with a period of 188 d. A campaign of follow-up ground-based photometry was able to capture the subsequent pair of third-body events as well as two further 8-d eclipses. A combined photo-spectro-dynamical analysis then leads to the determination of many of the system parameters. The 8-d binary consists of a pair of M stars, while most of the system light is from a K star around which the pair of M stars orbits.
We present precise stellar radial velocity (RV) measurements of γ Dra taken from 2003 to 2017. The data from 2003 to 2011 show coherent, long-lived variations with a period of 702 days. These ...variations are consistent with the presence of a planetary companion having m sin i = 10.7 MJup whose orbital properties are typical for giant planets found around evolved stars. An analysis of the Hipparcos photometry, Ca ii S-index measurements, and measurements of the spectral line shapes during this time show no variations with the RV of the planet, which seems to "confirm" the presence of the planet. However, RV measurements taken from 2011-2017 seem to refute this. From 2011-2013, the RV variations virtually disappear, only to return in 2014 but with a noticeable phase shift. The total RV variations are consistent either with amplitude variations on timescales of 10.6 year, or the beating effect between two periods of 666 and 801 days. It seems unlikely that both these signals stem from a two-planet system. A simple dynamical analysis indicates that there is only a 1%-2% chance that the two-planet system is stable. Rather, we suggest that this multi-periodic behavior may represent a new form of stellar variability, possibly related to oscillatory convective modes. If such intrinsic stellar variability is common around K giant stars and is attributed to planetary companions, then the planet occurrence rate among these stars may be significantly lower than thought.
We announce the discovery of K2-139 b (EPIC 218916923 b), a transiting warm-Jupiter (Teq = 547 ± 25 K) on a 29-d orbit around an active (log R'_HK = -4.46 ± 0.06) K0V star in K2 Campaign 7. We derive ...the system's parameters by combining the K2 photometry with ground-based follow-up observations. With a mass of 0.387_-0.075^+0.083 M_J and radius of 0.808_-0.033^+0.034 R_J, K2-139 b is one of the transiting warm Jupiters with the lowest mass known to date. The planetary mean density of 0.91_-0.20^+0.24 g/cm^3 can be explained with a core of ~50 M⊕. Given the brightness of the host star (V = 11.653 mag), the relatively short transit duration (~5 h), and the expected amplitude of the Rossiter-McLaughlin effect (~25m/s), K2-139 is an ideal target to measure the spin-orbit angle of a planetary system hosting a warm Jupiter.
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